abilities

noun

plural of ability
as in capabilities
the physical or mental power to do something as a result of the accident the once-vigorous athlete lost the ability to walk

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of abilities Psychologists identified a striking disconnect between Boukamp's intellectual abilities and his social functioning. — Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026 While some abilities, like spotting vulnerabilities in software, are useful to attackers and defenders, designing exploits for those vulnerabilities uniquely empowers attackers. — Harry Booth, Time, 24 July 2026 On the customer side, homeowners need to understand their vehicles’ abilities and how to self-manage their system. — Alexa St. John, Fortune, 23 July 2026 This investment in hand movement takes raccoon learning abilities to the next level – explaining why Toronto paid roughly US$24 million to develop raccoon-proof trash bins. — Kelly Lambert, The Conversation, 23 July 2026 Aside from their individual abilities to capture the characters, the cast had to work well as a group. — Katie Mannion, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026 He always has been drawn to people whose interests and abilities refused to fit neatly inside their public identities. — Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2026 Accessibility Apple gave Procreate a Design Award in 2022 for its accessibility features that suit people of diverse backgrounds, physical abilities, and languages. — Shelby Putnam Tupper, PC Magazine, 17 July 2026 Those records showed that several current and former Saint Alphonsus healthcare professionals who worked alongside Shapiro raised concerns and filed complaints about the surgeon’s abilities and his impacts on patient safety over the course of years. — Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 16 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abilities
  1. capabilities
  2. capacities
  3. skills
  4. talents
  5. faculties
  6. aptitudes
  7. competencies
Noun
  • For Greece, the investment is part of a broader effort to modernize its armed forces and enhance deterrence capabilities in a region marked by persistent security concerns.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 25 July 2026
  • Concurrently, the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo faces severe international funding shortfalls, severely compromising surveillance and response capabilities.
    — Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 24 July 2026
Definition of capabilities
Noun
  • The company also reports holding approvals associated with FHA, VA, USDA, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac, and serving in Ginnie Mae issuer and servicing capacities.
    — Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 22 July 2026
  • Developing these emotional capacities is crucial for navigating the challenges of building something new.
    — Andy Molinsky, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of capacities
Noun
  • Municipal policing requires a level of training in patrol skills and enforcement techniques that differs substantially from the training provided to federal ICE Agents.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 19 July 2026
  • The program focused on building the skills needed to handle ordnance while following a much shorter timeline than the traditional nine-month qualification course.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 18 July 2026
Definition of skills
Noun
  • And an anthology spinoff issue, a Halloween Special with talents such as James Tynion IV and Tony Fleecs, is being published in October.
    — Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 25 July 2026
  • Most went on to different fields, but many took their talents to the next level.
    — Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 25 July 2026
Definition of talents
Noun
  • The Chicago Teachers Union voted by a 2-1 ratio to accept a plan to integrate faculties in the city’s public schools.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2026
  • Your intuitive faculties are on point today as the sun coordinates with Neptune.
    — USA TODAY, USA Today, 24 May 2026
Definition of faculties
Noun
  • For this class, the premise is that your purpose in life lies to the intersection of your values, your aptitudes and your interests.
    — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 6 May 2026
  • This model reflects Japan’s long-standing corporate culture, which prioritizes new hires for their general potential—their aptitudes and aspirations, as opposed to their current skill sets or university majors—and then trains them on the job.
    — GRACIA LIU-FARRER, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2025
Definition of aptitudes
Noun
  • Use it to generate a standardized set of interview questions tied directly to the competencies the role requires.
    — Aytekin Tank, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • Do the activities encourage time spent interacting with others online, which can help young people develop important skills and competencies?
    — Gabriel E. Hales, The Conversation, 17 July 2026
Definition of competencies

Browse Nearby Words

abigails
abilities
ability
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Cite this Entry

“Abilities.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abilities. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of abilities for Spanish Speakers

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